Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley in a movie about obscene, swear-word-riddled letters in a 1920s English small town? Oh, we’ll definitely be watching Wicked Little Letters.
Thea Sharrock (Me Before You, The Beautiful Game) directs this crime mystery comedy that has been described as “likably goofy” and “wicked fun” by critics about the real-life scandal that shocked the sleepy seaside town of Littlehampton in Sussex in the late 1910s and early 1920s. Edith Swan (played by Olivia Colman in the film) began receiving letters filled with profane and filthy language, which were later pinned down on her neighbor, Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley). The two had had a falling out, Rose was famously swear-word-happy and Irish, all of which made her an easy target, despite the woman maintaining her innocence.
The real-life crime mystery’s twists and turns and outrageous nature were easily turned into an entertaining film, with a thing or two to say about women’s freedom of speech. Wicked Little Letters premiered in select theaters in the United States on Mar. 29, followed by a wide release on April 5.
Is Wicked Little Letters streaming on Netflix?
Wicked Little Letters is not streaming on Netflix, as it has only just premiered in theaters. As a Sony Pictures Classic release in the United States, however, there’s a good chance it could end up on the platform in the future.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Sony struck a deal with Netflix in 2021 that sees all Sony theatrical releases between 2022 and 2026 hit Netflix during their first pay windows, after which they’ll move over to Disney Plus for their Pay 2 windows.
Let me break this down for you. In Wicked Little Letters‘ case, a Video on Demand/Digital release is expected to happen only a month or two after its theatrical release (so, by late May or early June 2024 you will be able to buy or rent the film online). Shortly after that, typically four to six months after it hit theaters, Wicked Little Letters will most likely incorporate the Netflix catalog for its Pay 1 window. These windows usually last 18 months, per The Wrap.
In sum, if you’re in the U.S., you can expect Wicked Little Letters to show up on your Netflix homepage anytime between August 2024 and October 2024. By mid-to-late 2026, it will be Disney Plus subscribers’ chance to discover this Olivia Colman/Jessie Buckley English charmer (and The Lost Daughter reunion!). If you’re not willing to wait that long, Wicked Little Letters is currently showing in theaters across the country!